


A Fresh Start

by Bipolar_Armitage_Hux



Series: Harleen's Favour [1]
Category: Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Superheroes/villains, Alternate Universe - Punk, Autistic Characer, Autistic Harley Quinn, Comfort/Angst, Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Emotional Abuse, Gaslighting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Harley Quinn, Pamela Isley is autistic, Pansexual Character, Pansexual Harley Quinn, Physical Abuse, Schizophrenic Harley Quinn, Stalking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 14:15:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7717930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bipolar_Armitage_Hux/pseuds/Bipolar_Armitage_Hux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harley Quinzel, Medical student, broke up with long term abusive boyfriend Joseph "Joe/Joey" Kerr, Engineering major, upon entering university. They're entering their second year and has moved apartment's to live with their new girlfriend Pamela Isley, Majoring in Biological Science. Joe seems to have taken their break-up fairly well ignored Harley ever since, until now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fresh Start

**Author's Note:**

> Harley is agender in this AU and uses they/them pronouns. Note: I'm using schizophrenic because I have schizophrenic symptoms and I relate to this (sometimes ableist portrayal) of Harley.

When Harley awoke that morning they noticed three things. Firstly, they needed curtains in their new apartment - this caused them to wake up squinting, a little too early and rather sore. Secondly, their ceiling really needed painting and wondered who had gone to the effort to start painting the wall a soft pink and then stopped leaving it half streaked pink and half a yellowing-white. Thirdly, they had an instant feeling of anxiety that was soothed instantly when they realised that the breath on their neck was slow and quiet, and that the arm on their waist that ended in a hand on their tummy was small and gentle not rough and large. Once they assured themselves that it was in fact 'Ela instead of Joey behind them they relaxed instantly. They turned round and snuck their head under Ela's arm, resting on her chest and wrapping their arms around her waist. She started to stir.

"'Morning, Harley," 'Ela said, stroking Harley's short blonde hair and still not opening her eyes.

"What time is it?" She yawned.

"Quarter-to 9," Harley said looking up at her grinning.

"Quarter-to 9? On a Saturday?" 'Ela said in disbelief before groaning.

"Come on," Harley said, sitting up and propping herself up to look at 'Ela's soft, copper hair (which was what Harley thought, a beautiful, tangled mess.) They planted a kiss on 'Ela's pale nose. "We've got books to buy, food to eat, coffee to drink, furniture to buy... I think that's it. Oh and food to eat!" Harley said gleefully and gently rocking 'Ela. "Come on!" 'Ela giggled and gently tackled Harley so they were both sideways and face to face.

"Okay, but you've got to do last night's washing up before we go shopping," Groaned 'Ela, patting Harley on the back signify that they should sit up so they can both move. They immediately obliged and they both got up, pushing the beige floral double duvet. Harley stared at it for a moment and studied the golden suns and stars..

"Maybe we should get knew covers," Harley said grinning, standing there naked except for a pair of navy shorts.

"Are you insulting my taste?" 'Ela said teasingly throwing a pillow and Harley's pale, tiny body. They caught it and threw it back at 'Ela smiling at her freckled, sunworn skin, her purple stretchmarks on her hips, the way her hips overflowed over her green striped underwear, her soft tummy, and her tangled hair falling over shoulders and thought about how lucky they were to have such a beautiful girlfriend. 'Ela took their moment of weakness and playfully wrestled their pale, slim body on to the bed, showering their visible collar bones with kisses, lovingly caressing the scars down their arms and over their hips before going back to their thin face and kissing the freckles over their nose. She ruffled their short, shaggy blonde hair and kissed their forehead. "Pretty enbyfriend," she said tickling Harley as they giggled and attempted to get the upperhand. Harley tackled 'Ela and pinned her down, they knew it was playfully and 'Ela was smiling but they suddenly froze and stopped, propping themselves up on the bed.

"We... we really need to start getting ready," Harley said suddenly feeling aware of their chest and pulling on the nearest t-shirt - a black and white striped thing that fell down to just before their knees. "i'll wash up whilst you grab a shower." Harley sped out of the living room into their apartment's kitchen. 'Ela sat on the bed slightly confused wondering what she did, she shrugged it off, walked to the bathroom and pulled a towel off the radiator to hang on the inside of the bathroom door. She slipped off their under, throwing it in the laundry basket and tried to ignore the mirror above the white, chipped sink. She looked down at her large chest and soft belly, she pinched at the purple stretchmarks on her hips and sighed. She really didn't see what Harley saw in her body. Not that she minded, feeling desired and wanted is something she always craved. She just didn't understand why. She sighed, pulled back the shower curtain and stepped into the bath. She stood infront of the shower turned it on and suddenly squirmed before turning the heat.

"God dammit, Harley!" She said to herself. Harley preferred to have the water colder than she did and it always took her by surprised. She smiled for a moment before turning up the heat, and closing her eyes and just letting the water fall off her body. Wishing all of her thoughts about herself would just wash away with it.

As soon as Harley had got into the kitchen they took their laptop from the dining table, opened it, placed it on the counter (far too close to the sink than 'Ela would like), let YouTube create a mix for them as they ran the hot water and squirted some washing up liquid. They needed loud music when they were by themselves a lot of the time, it helped make them less agitated. And gave them something to focus on. They danced and sang loudly to Joan Jett's cover of Cherry Bomb, enjoying the fact that when 'Ela came out of the shower she wouldn't tell them that the original was better. Three songs later, Harley was drying up and 'Ela came out of the bathroom humming. She walked to their bedroom to pick out her clothes for the day. Harley finished up and walked into their bedroom to fall onto their unmade bed.

They watched quietly as 'Ela sang softly under her breath and picked out a pair of black leggings, and an oversized green sweater that stopped at just before her knees. She sat down next to Harley with her plugged in hair dryer and flipped her hair upside down as she started to dry it. It was so thick and heavy it would take a while so Harley pushed themselves up and took this oppurtunity to shower. They pulled their t-shirt, and shorts off to throw on the bedroom floor before they even entered the bathroom which they entered with conviction, almost with their eyes closed so they couldn't see the mirror. They clumsily got into the shower, turned the water on, flinched at the heat, turned it down, and let the water fall down them, hit their face, and completely engulf them. They used too much shampoo and not enough conditioner. 'Ela's singing became louder when they left the room, there were few things that calmed Harley down more.

After they left the shower, 'Ela was brushing her hair and debating whether to put it up or not. Harley turned to the wardrobe, struggled into their binder and boxer shorts before rummaging for some clothes to wear. They both wanted something that would drown their body, making them look tiny and sexless... But they also didn't want to look like a boy. They were never sure how to portray that. In the end they tried a red vest top, dark grey cargo trousers, black high-heeled boots, and bright blue hoodie. They spun round and looked at 'Ela expectantly.

"How do I look?" Harley asked, trying to hide the desperation for approval. 'Ela smiled, walked towards them and kissed their forehead.

"Like a very attractive enby," 'Ela said, stroking Harley's cheek. They smiled and their cheeks burned as their eyes hit the floor. "How's my hair?" 'Ela asked, adding the last of the hair slides to her loose bun.

"Really pretty! How do you even manage to get it to stay up?"

"Hairspray, slides and determination," 'Ela said as she debated whether to put on some make up. In the end she settled on some light, golden eye shadow and strawberry lipgloss. She turned and smiled at Harley. "Let me just grab my coat and we can go!"

Harley jumped up from their place on the bed, and walked towards the door, attempting to be graceful. They kind of wanted to put on some eyeliner but didn't want to appear too feminine. When 'Ela had put on her knee length, floaty, trench coat with silver buckles.

"Where shall we go first? Ikea?" Harley asked as they took 'Ela's hand.

"Yes! We need a new bed, bedding, maybe an actual sofa..." 'Ela stroked Harley's hand with her index finger. "Don't worry, you can pay me back," She assured kissing their hand before they walked out of the door.

As they shopped, not to far away in Gotham a young engineering student named Joseph Kerr was stood next to a pool table in Finnigan's pub and drinking from his bottle of ice cold Corona. He was hunched over with narrowing, grey eyes, and his dyed green hair fell into his eyes. His face was heavily scarred, some self-inflicted, some given to him through more ways than he cared to remember. He bit his lip, which contained a scar where his lip ring used to be. He stared at the placement of the pool balls infront of him. It was his large, muscular, friend Waylon with a shaved head, a lot of tattoos, and was very good at pool.

"No way are you going to win this one," Waylon growled as he potted a stripe, and moved onto his next ball. Joe grunted and continued to stare at the balls. He would, he thought, Waylon was getting cocky and when he did his hands shook a little and he stopped paying attention. He grinned as Waylon miss his shot, Joe took his - potting to solids and trapping Waylon. Now it was was Joe's friends turn to stare misterably at the table. It was rare Joe lost a game - the only person who had beat him was Waylon and he had discovered Joe wasn't a very good loser. Everyone else was either too scared to play or too scared to not let Joe win. He didn't care, he found that incredibly amusing. He finished his drink and went back to the bar.

"'Nother?" He asked Waylon who shook his head gesturing to his almost full drink. Joe went to the bar and ordered another Corona from the rather attractive bartender. Whilst she went to the fridge his eyes followed her, she tensed slightly as she felt them on her back. She was used to creepy men checking her out but this was... Different. As she walked back to him and placed the beer on the table, before accepting his money, she felt like his eyes were boring into her and wondering what her bones looked like. She shook her head as he turned around after thanking him. She was probably just being silly.

The game didn't last much longer, Joe was only half way through his beer when he was two balls away from the black and Waylon was on three. Joe decided to screw with his friend for a while rather than try and win. Instead of aiming to pot the ball, he just kept trapping Waylon to his frustration. Joe was sure that if he kept doing this he'd probably get a rather severe beating from Waylon but he could bring himself to care too much. It was fun watching him growl, his eyes squint and his face burn up with frustration. After this happened a few more times, Waylon actually managed to pot a ball which brought Joe back into the game. Second shot, another ball for Waylon. Joe potted two balls in a row and set himself up for his next shot. After one more go each, Joe won the game. He grinned and finished his bottle of Corona.

"Another game?" Waylon grunted. Joe nodded.

"Sure, I'm gonna go have a smoke first," Joe said, turning round before Waylon responded. He pulled out his battered, silver, antique cigarette case and pulled out a roll-up. He lit it with a cigarette he'd stolen from behind the bar whilst the barmaid turned her back and closed his eyes as he inhaled, focusing on his back against the cold brick. When he opened them he stared on at the various people - some walking quickly, others dawdling to look in the shops, and some standing outside staring at the menu for a French cafe wondering whether to get some food or not.

Ah, Bistro Zinc, Joe thought, that was Harley's favourite. He studied the windows to see if she was any of the customers, and then as if he'd managed to think her into existence, she appeared at the end of the block. He suddenly backed away into the door way out of sight. he watched her holding hands with that redheaded friend hers. Or probably girlfriend judging by how they were with each other, Joe thought. He watched them going into the cafe, giggling at something he couldn't hear. When Harley chose a table by the window Joe laughed to himself. Ah, always so predictable he thought. She was probably going to be there for a good hour or so, and Joe could always come out of the pub to see if she was still there. He smiled to himself, maybe he could have a little bit of fun.


End file.
